Summer bounty: When your garden goes into overdrive, it’s time to get creative

I learned a gardening lesson this year: If you think your garden isn’t performing well, go on vacation for a week and you will come home to a bountiful harvest!

In my case, I came home to cherry tomato plants heavy with fruit, loads of pickling cucumbers and a single zucchini that was larger than any I had ever seen — all in a week.

Within a couple days, the cucumbers were sliced and made into my favorite refrigerator pickles, but I still had to figure out what to do with all the cherry tomatoes and mammoth zucchini.

My first thought was tomato bruschetta. I usually make it with Romas, but I decided to use my bounty of cherry tomatoes instead. I am growing several varieties this year, including chocolate cherry, grape, two different yellows and at least three different reds. With all those colors, the bruschetta looked as great as it tasted, especially with the addition of fresh basil and garlic.

But as much as we enjoyed the tomato topping, it was the leftovers that really got us excited. I combined the mixture with leftover farro and, wow, it was delicious! I have now made this dish several times intentionally — not as leftovers — and served it as a meatless meal. Even my carnivore husband commented on how good it is. Success!

The cooking method for this recipe is important to ensure you don’t end up with mushy farro, so be sure to follow the instructions carefully.

Now I turned my attention to the giant zucchini waiting on my counter. When they get this big I usually grate them and make zucchini bread. But when I realized I had more than seven cups of grated zucchini — enough for four loaves — I decided to look for other ways to use it. Enter scarpaccia, otherwise known as an Italian zucchini tart.

Research tells me in Italian scarpaccia means “old shoe,” and the recipe hails from the Tuscany region of Italy. I found several different versions of the tart, some containing eggs, some not; others included onions, different herbs and one even had spinach. Preparations also differed, with some recipes using the salt-and-press method to remove excess water from the zucchini, while others sauté for the same purpose.

The end goal is thin, crispy and slightly chewy squares loaded with flavor. I ended up creating my own recipe by combining things I liked from several versions.

All recipes started with thinly sliced zucchini, but since I had already grated mine, I used it anyway. I opted to salt and press my zucchini instead of sautéing and was surprised by how much water was released. One recipe suggested saving the water from this process to add to the mixture later, so I did.

All-purpose flour, yellow corn meal, corn starch, herbs, cheese and zucchini are combined and spread onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Both the pan and parchment paper need to be well-greased in order for the scarpaccia to release after baking.

The flour helps hold everything together, the corn meal adds crunch, the corn starch helps to absorb extra moisture, and the cheese adds flavor and chew. It is the perfect combination.

From my huge zucchini I was able to make two different scarpaccia; I added thinly sliced red onion and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes to the second one. Both versions were delicious, so use your imagination — and what you have on hand — to make yours to your liking. Just be careful not to add ingredients that will bring too much moisture to the mix.

We preferred our scarpaccia eaten warm or at room temperature. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheat in a dry skillet for a few minutes. (Do not use the microwave to reheat your scarpaccia; it will lose its signature crisp and chewy texture.)

We ended up eating the farro salad and scarpaccia together one night for dinner — it was a perfect summer meal.

• Penny Kazmier, a wife and mother of four from South Barrington, won the 2011 Daily Herald Cook of the Week Challenge. Contact Penny at DhCulinaryAdventures@gmail.com.

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Farro Bruschetta Tomato Salad

Makes: 6 servings (as a side dish)

4 cups cooked farro, drained and chilled on baking sheet

3 cups halved or quartered cherry tomatoes, or whatever tomatoes you have on hand cut into bite-sized pieces

3 cloves minced or pressed garlic

3 to 4 tablespoons chiffonade-cut fresh basil (stack leaves, roll and thinly slice)

¼ cup chopped kalamata olives, plus 1 tablespoon of olive brine (optional)

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste; be generous

1. Rinse dry farro in fine mesh strainer with cold water.

2. Fill a large pot with water and salt as you would for pasta; heat to boiling and add rinsed farro. Cook to al dente per your package instructions, drain in a colander and rinse with cold water. Place rinsed farro in a thin layer on a baking sheet and refrigerate until needed. (This can be done ahead of time.)

3. Combine tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper in bowl. Allow to sit 15 minutes. Combine entire tomato mixture, including juice as it becomes part of the dressing, and farro; stir. Adjust seasoning and serve.

* Tips for making farro for this recipe: I have purchased two different types of farro — one quick-cooking and traditional, requiring about 20 minutes. Regardless of the type, I always rinse my dry farro with cold water in a fine mesh strainer before and after cooking to remove any extra starch and to stop it from becoming mushy by steaming and overcooking.

— Penny Kazmier

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Zucchini Scarpaccia

Makes: One 18”x13” pan

4 to 5 cups grated, or thinly sliced, zucchini

1 thinly sliced red onion

2½ teaspoons salt, separated

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup yellow corn meal

¼ cup corn starch

½ cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

½ cup grated mozzarella or provolone cheese

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/3 cup zucchini water (if there is not enough add tap water to meet measurement)

18”x13” baking pan with sides

Parchment paper

1. Place prepared zucchini and onion in colander and toss with 1½ teaspoons salt. Place colander over bowl to catch zucchini water and add a heavy bowl or pan on top to add weight and aid in removing moisture. Allow to sit an hour, if possible.

2. Preheat oven to 425°F. Generously grease pan, including sides, add parchment and grease again.

3. Place vegetables in a dish towel and ring out any remaining moisture, catching it in the bowl. Do not rinse. Set aside.

4. Combine remaining ingredients in large bowl and stir to combine. The mixture will be stiff. Add vegetables and stir to fully distribute.

5. Press into a thin even layer on prepared parchment and pan. Place in hot oven for 25 minutes.

6. Remove from oven and invert on oven-proof rack. Carefully remove parchment and place back into the oven, on the cooling rack, for an additional 10 minutes to crisp. The scarpaccia may get a little dark around the edges, but that is OK.

7. Allow to cool 10 minutes, place on cutting board, cut and serve.

8. Enjoy warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in airtight container in refrigerator and reheat in dry skillet.

— Penny Kazmier